Killing Time is a sequence of dreamlike moments that creates a film-noir-style mood. The low light scenes, sounds and special effects contribute in building a tense and suspenseful atmosphere. The filming was inspired by the dark and surreal films of David Lynch such as Mulholland Drive, Eraserhead, Blue Velvet and Lost Highway.
Editing and post production was a very important part of this project because it was key in turning these clips into a stylish black and white film.
The use of sound created another dimension for the film. Both music and sound effects increased the tension and the suspense.
Using overlays helped to connect both sets of clips, helping to create a dialogue between them. For example, the scene in which both characters peer outside through the windows and where both characters appear to be preparing for something.
There were two sets of clips filmed in different locations. The first set was filmed in London which when I received I responded to by filming a set of clips of my own in Italy.
My own filming had to be sympathetic to the other clips and so the decision was made to work in black and white for artistic reason and location compatibility. I had to adapt an artistic vision that would make both sets of clips work aesthetically. This was my first experience at both acting and directing in one of my projects.
Killing Time was an important learning project in which I used much resourcefulness and it pushed my creative thinking to the max. The edit was inspired by the mood of the footage that I had received which was shot in London and I had no script or storyboard to work with. It allowed me to create my own story based on the mood of the clips. Watching and studying film-noir type movies helped me to create the mood that I was looking for, which was to create a dark and mysterious atmosphere.
I worked carefully with the sound and visual effects and used an everpresent humming sound, some dark ambient music and the sound of the ticking clock to set the overall tone of the film. The image overlays, the red flickering graphics, the use of dissolves and the visual layering all help to narrate the story without the use of dialogue. This shows how the two characters are somehow connected in a surreal and mysterious way.
